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Hello guys, lately I have been thinking about something awesome, a data base that would include all the known map features to favor, or disfavor a specific race. This would help alot when thinking of a map layout and trying to see if it would be balanced.
For example, when you are making a new map you could just pick an even number of features that favor each race and use them in your map.
I think if everyone donates their knowledge to this, it can be very helpful to new and experienced map makers alike. I will start with my knowledge as a master Protoss player, but I am sure there are many more features I forgot to mention, if everyone helps out this could become a great resource!
Map features that favor a certain race specific to a matchup:
PvT:
- Large rush distance (warp ins remove reinforcements travel time and its easier defending pushes)
TvP:
- Close air distance (easier drops)
- Lots of air space (drops are easier, and can escape easier when attacked)
TvZ:
- Siegeable bases from different height
- Ledges (for reaper harass and tank dropped there to be safe and provide cover for other units)
ZvP:
- Open areas (to get easier surrounds)
- Empty air / unpathable high ground area near bases (for brood lords placing)
PvZ:
- Natural with small entrance (Easier to block in time for early pool and to defend overall)
General map feature per race:
Protoss favored:
- Chokes (unless going zealot-archon style, which is rare)
- 3rd tucked by main (easier to defend with blink stalkers)
- Excessive change in height (both the colossus and the stalker using blink can pass through different levels of height easily)
- Inbase expo (Terran can build a 2ns CC in his base regardless, and Zerg has the easiest time expanding, so Protoss gains the most out of a safe expansion that is easy to defend)
Terran favored:
- Large main (easier drop off and more space for buildings)
- Main with LOS blockers (easier drop off)
- Short rush distance (Terran has slow units that need to travel to get to the enemy base)
- Island bases (Terran has the easiest time taking an island expansion)
- Expansion path that goes toward the opponent
- Gold bases (Terran normally has less workers then Protoss and Zerg, so gold bases are more beneficial to it)
Zerg favored:
- Many expansions (Zerg is the strongest race lategame - debatable)
- Close by 3rd (not necessarily an easy one, just close since getting creep there is easier)
- Xel'naga towers (Zerg most of the time has map control and so has control over the towers, also Zerg benefits the most from the towers, cause it is a reactionary race)
- Expansion path that goes away from the opponent
- LOS usage (easier to ambush and counterattack)
- Air space behind mains and unpathable high grounds (for easy overlords placement)
If you got a reasonable feature that favors a race say it here and if supported I will include it in the OP, or if you think one of the features I included is wrong in some way, tell me and I will change it.
I hope this will help map makers to make better and more balanced maps  gl hf's!
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It depends alot on the matchup. In TvZ, for example, Terran loves choke points and abuses them. In TvP, Protoss loves choke points and abuses them.
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On June 28 2012 01:23 vaderseven wrote:
It depends alot on the matchup. In TvZ, for example, Terran loves choke points and abuses them. In TvP, Protoss loves choke points and abuses them.
But I am talking in general, while there are certain matchup specifics, there are also generally favorable features, for example chokes are good for TvZ right? I already included that Zerg likes open areas, and chokes are good for PvT, already said Protoss is good with chokes . From the general favoritism you can conduct the specific favoritism. I can maybe add later on matchup specifics, if the general ones are not enough. but for now I want to get a good data base of the map features that generally favor a certain race.
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I think you have to approach this with specific MUs if you want to actually get a good sense of what races like. Here's some of my thoughts on openness and expansions.
PvZ
Protoss - chokes, close thirds, limited airspace
Zerg - open space, open expansions, airspace for BLs, expanding away from the opponent
TvZ
Terran - cliffs/ramps for tank setups, easily dropped expansions (meaning the opponents base is close by air), aggressive expos
Zerg - wide open expansions, few cliffs/siege positions at expansions, expos away from opponent
*chokes are a lot more variable in this match up because sometimes bio terran doesn't like chokes (infestors, banelings)
PvT
Protoss - chokes, aggressive or defensive expanding
Terran - open space, aggressive expanding (most cases)
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Good initiative, but i think its just as important to list all the disbenefits too, not only the race spesific benefits.
Like putting unpathable rocks NEAR main base HQ, and NEAR other expansion HQ placements, disbenefit especially for zerg.
Or like None pathable cliff edges, disbenefits Terran and protoss.
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monitor: breaking the data into matchups takes more time, so I was going to go away from it, but I see it is the best way so I will turn it into per matchup.
Guardian: what do you mean by rocks near main base? near expo's I guess you mean blocking them?
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The rocks was about building availability, in the way that zerg already has restricted buildspace on creep, one rock in the "right / wrong " spot, could really make it difficult to build buildings, if the rock is in a position where it hits the build grid from multiple angles.
Its not a serious setback, and would be annoying to most races, but still can be used to make slight changes.
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People have said this since times and used this to theorycraft about map balance before the actual stats were in and seldom did the actual stats coincide with people's perception of map balance. Does anyone remember crossfire? People were screaming left and right that it would be impossible for ZvP, it turned out to be an impossible PvZ map. When Terminus was introduced, everyone was like 'Ohhh, this map is so large, good for ZvT', it turned out to be a TvZ favoured map.
Ultimately, it's far too complicated to judge a map balance by that and I don't even know if those things really factor in and decide map balance.
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Well, if there was an actual list of every feature, you could compare them all and actually see (in theory) if the map is balanced. Since every feature is included it is supposed to work, only problem is to actually get every feature.
To that matter, who do you think an in-base expo favors?
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Don't forget overlord spots, LoS blockers , main size, drop paths, lowground pylon powering mains, reaper backdoors, airspace/mineral line relationship.
I think inbase expos favor Toss, then Terran, then Zerg, because zerg has the easiest time securing expos, then terran, then toss ; so if they are free, this zerg advantage and toss disadvantage is removed.
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LoS favors Zerg right? main size i already did covered I think, what can I say about lowground pylons exactly? ledges I will add and airspace is mostly good for zerg and terran right?
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EPT
